BURLINGTON — About 600 members of the Vermont Army National Guard will be honored Sunday for their bravery while fighting insurgents in Afghanistan in 2010.

The 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry is being recognized for extraordinary heroism in Paktya province in eastern Afghanistan.

The guard unit is receiving the Valorous Unit Award, the second-highest unit award given by the Army, below only the Presidential Unit Citation.

The ceremony will take place at 9 a.m. at the Shapiro Field House, Norwich University.

The Burlington Free Press reported that Sunday’s ceremony also will honor combat medic Sgt. Michael Mulcahy, who will receive the Bronze Star Medal for Valor for his service while stationed at Combat Outpost Herrera.

The infantry units were made up mostly of Vermonters but included soldiers from New Hampshire and Maine.